Dispensing device



Aug. 28, 1928;

w. L. COLBY DISPENSING DEVICE Filed May 16, 1927 Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES,

OFFlaCE. v

WARREN L. COLBY, F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND."

"DISPENSING DEVICE.

Application filed May 16,

The present invention relates to a devlce for d-ispensingone at atime soda straws and the like, and'has for anob ect :to provide a construction of container or shopper and delivening apparatus, which are so comb ned that they may receive an original container or package in which the straws are shipped, so .that bymerely making an incis on or opening at thecorneror side of theong nal package, the latter Emay'be fitted into the dlspensing device and the feedingand operation Wlll p ceed without special lman ipu atlon r ad justment.

Another objectof the invention is to provide .a device of this kind which is operable by inserting the hand beneath the hopper to receive a straw, the hand d splacing an operating lever or member andcausing the device to .operate and deliver the straws one at a time, each time the hand 1s nserted beneath h hopper- Another feature of the present invention is to provide a device which may be operated from either side, and a devlce which 1s of extreine simplicity and utilizes but a single roller with a weighted or pendulum arm, the roller having an opening to receive asingle, or two ifdesired, straw and arranged to propect nto the ho peror holder when in normal pos tion. Witli the foregoing and other ob ects 1n, view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more partlcularly pointed out inthezclaim appended here to. i

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dlspenslng device constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectlon taken substantially centrally through the device and showing an original package of straws mounted therein.

Figure 4 is a similar view with the lid of V 1927. Serial No. 191,792.

spaced apart end plates 11,. which at their lower ends are substantially of triangular contour. The intermediate portions of the end plates 11 are provided with integral discs or heads 12 ofsubstantially circular construction and adapted to receive against their inner faces the opposite ends of a roller or cylinder 13. The pins 14:, screws or the like are mountedcentrally through the heads 12 and engage the opposite ends or the roller orcylinder 13 to support the roller and permit of its axial rotation. The roller 13 is held in a definite posit-ion by means of a plate'15 which is secured at 16 by screws or the like to the under side of the roller 13,-and which extends radially from the roller, so that'the plate 15 is adapted to normally hang downwardly and hold the roller 13 in a definite position of rest.

The roller 13 is provided in its upper side with a recess or cavity 17 extending throughout the length of the roller and of a size to receive one or more articles of predetermined ize and length. In v the present case the groove or recess 17 is of a size adapted to receive a single straw for use around soda fountains and the like so that the device may dispense the straws one at a time.

Arranged diagonally over the roller 13 is a hopper or support 18 in the form of a substantial rectangular box-like body with its lower edge cut away as at 19 and ,sufliciently toreceive the upper portion of the roller 13 therein, so that straws disposed in the support 18 may freely roll into the groove 17 of the roller and be carried 18 when the roller 13 is turned. The upper portion of the support 18 is in the form of a lid 20 hinged at 21 at one side of thesupport 18 and provided at its other side with a handle 22 by means of which the lid may be swung upwardly into the position, shown in Figure 4. The ends 23 of the holder or hopper 18 preferably comprise continuations of the end members 11, while the ends 24 of the cover 20 are separate triangular sections, which are fitted in the angularly constructed cover.

The cover 24.- provides one-half of a rectangular body, while the holder 18 forms the other half of the rectangular body. The lid and the support 18 may, of course, be changed in form and proportions to accommodate the device to different conditions of use. In the present instances the rectangular construction is resorted to as this formof the invention is adapted to receive and support a rectangular container 25, which is ofpaper or the exteriorly of the support like, and which comprises the original package in which soda straws 26 are placed, so that the straws 26 are protected in the original package from contact with the hand, dust or the like. The original package 25 is of such size that it fits snugly in the lid 20 of the device, as shown in Figure 4, so that when the lid 20 is raised the package 25 is lifted therewith. The end walls 24 of the lid bind against the opposite ends of the container 25 and assist in maintaining the container in the lid. The lower corner of the original package or container 25 is cut away, as at 27 in any suitable formation, so as to permit the free and easy passage of the straws downwardly through the opening 27 and against the roller 13 of the device. In this manner, the straws come in contact only with the roller 13 directly from the original package. As shown in Figure 5, when the operator projects the hand beneath the roller 13, the tips of the fingers engage the plate 15 and swing the same with the roller to one side, so as to turn the roller and bring the slots 17 to the outer side of the hopper or support 18 and toward the palm of the hand. While, in this position, shown in Figure 5, the straw is permitted to roll out of the recess or groove 17 by gravity and fall into the hand. The hand is now withdrawn with the single straw and the plate 15 swings back into vertical position and turns the roller 13 into its normal position with the groove 17 uppermost to receive a second straw. It is apparent that this operation may be carried out from either side of the device by merely inresting the hand beneath the roller 13 from either side, because the plate 15 and roller 13 are so mounted that they may swing in either direction and there is a clearance left at each side of the holder 18 for the hand.

Although I have illustrated and described the invention in connection with one particu lar form of package it will be understood that it is equally applicable to packages of any form the holder for the package being altered accordingly;

It is obvious that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restrict ed only by the scope of the following claim:

What is claimed is A dispensing device comprising a diagonally disposed hopper comprising a stationary lower part and a lid upper part with said parts of angular formation, a rectangular original package of straws adapted to be tightly fitted into the lid part and to be opened at its exposed corner for releasing the straws in the original container, said lid with the container adapted to be swung down into closed position for housing the container and disposing the open edge thereof l0wer-' most, aroller mounted in the lower part of the enclosing body for engaging the released straws and having a groove therein for receiving a predetermined number of the straws at a time, a finger plate secured to the roller and extending downwardly therefrom for maintaining the roller in adefinite normal position with the groove uppermost, said plate adapted to be swung by'the hand to turn the roller when the hand is pushed into position beneath the roller, said roller in turning adapted to liberate said predetermined number of straws from the body portion and deposit the straws in the hand disposed beneath the roller. p

In testimony whereofI afiix mysignature.

WARREN L. ooLBY. 

